Store-service apparatus



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. T. COWLEY.. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

No. 465,962. Patented Dec. 29, 11891.

OYE el N .q :2, #l n h ln. p I "p l llnl`| u@ P e=\re v Pq IWW-cra?,

,i f a d A www? BmQ-QMK ew A t gli, Juif/f,

j V `Q\ :I l( o x11 .y 9% f I WWU 3 Sheets-Sheet:4 2'.

(No Model.)

J. T. COWLBY. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

Patented Dec. 29, 1891.

wllllllmw (No Model.) 'Y

J. T. GOWLEY.

STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

No. 465,962. Patented Deo. 29, 1891.

me News Perzns co9, wma-uma, wAsHmefnn, a, c.

3 sheets-sheets.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES T. COVLEY, OF LOWELL, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAMSON CONSOLIDATED STORE SERVICE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,962, dated December 29, 1891.

Application filed June 13, 1889. Serial No. 314,080. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern: f

Be it known that I, JAMES T. COWLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Store-Service Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to store-service apparatus in which carriers are propelled along tracks by means of an endless cable; and it especially consists in the mechanism whereby the said carriers are secured to the cable and detached therefrom; and it further consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the parts of which the clutching mechanism is composed, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown, for the purpose of better illustrating its operation, my improved clutching mechanism as mounted on a suitable carrier moving on a suitable way which is provided with the necessary detents; and in these drawings, in which corresponding parts are designated by corresponding letters- Figure l is an elevation showing a return and delivery track and appliances embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating the construction of the tracks and appliances at one of the stations. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section through the tracks, showing one 0f the carriers. Fig. t is an enlarged transverse section of one of the carriers, illustrating one form of the clamping mechanism. Fig. 5 is 'a modified form of clamp. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of one of the carriers.

The general features of the apparatus are a track A, upon which carriers are conducted from one or more stations to a cashiers desk C; a track B, upon which the carriers are conducted from the cashiers desk to the station or stations; a series of carriers with means for automatically causing the arrest of each carrier at the station to which it belongs after it has passed from the cashiers desk, and a continuously-traveling cable a, to which the carriers are temporarily connected during the time when it is necessary to propel them between the stations and desk. These features may vary in their construction and general arrangement to a considerableextent Without departing from the main features of my invention. Thus the driving-cable may be arranged indifferent positions as regards the carriers,

as above or below or at 'one side of the same. The Ways may consist of any suitable material and each of any suitable number of rails or bars. I prefer, however,when the apparatus is 6o to be used for carryingparcels as well as cash, to have each way consist of two parallel ways or rods Z) b, and at each station upon the return-track B is a turn-out D, in the form of two parallel branch rails b b', and a switch- 65 point c, which maybe brought to the position shown in Fig. 2 to complete. the line of the main track or may be swung to the opposite position to complete the junction of the turn'- out with the main track. The forwarding- 7o track adjacent to each station is also provided with a branch D and with a switch-rail c', whichis maintained by a spring normally in the position shown in Fig.

In the construction shown the tracks con- 75 sist of parallel wooden strips or Ir'ai1s,'upon which run the carriers E, each provided with two wheels 2 2, each with a central Iiange eX- tending between the rails and` from which hangs a frame the central stem 3 of which ex- 8o tends between the rails and supports a basket 4. The rails are connected, as usual, to overarching yokes E F, the lower yokes E being supported from the upper yokes F by pendent rods 5, and the cable a extends parallel to the track above the rails and at one side thereof opposite that side to which the turnouts extend.

Adjacent to each track are transverse depressed or curved bearings f, supported in 9o positions to constitute supports and guides for the propelling-cable. As shown, the bearv ings f are connected with and form parts of the yokes. These bearings serve to support the traveling cable along the line of the way; but at the terminals of the way the cable passes round guide-pulleys 6 G, suitably arranged to direct the same to the driving-pulley 7 of any suitable motor.

Each carrier is provided with a clutch for roo engaging the cable, which clutch when the cable is at the side of the way, as shown, ex-

tends to that side of the way and is provided with two ingers,which may be brought against the cable to temporarily grasp the same and connect the carrier thereto, or may be moved away from the cable to release the latter in order to permit the carrier to be removed from the track or deflected to the side of the track. j

The clutch may be constructed in different ways, but preferably consists of two jaws piv oted to the car-frame in such position that as the lower swings out or engages with the cord it will lift the latter from its bearings f, and of a spring arranged to act upon the jaws so as to carry thein toward and clamp the cable after the jaws have been moved to a certain extent in one direction and to carry them away from the cable and hold them separated after they have been moved to a certain extent in the opposite direction, and I prefer to combine with the carriers, the ways, and their clutches operating-cains g, arranged to contact with projections of the clutches and constructed to move the clutches to the desired extent in either direction, accordingly as the clutches are to be thrown toward or away from the cable.

In the construction best illustrated in Figs. l to the two jaws S 8 of each clamp G are pivoted to a single horizontal pivot 9, about in line with the plane of the axles of the wheels, and each is provided with a horn l0, and a coiled spring ll is connected at the ends to the horns, the points of connection being such that the ends of the spring will be carried in a curve round the pivot 9, and the spring willbe caused to pass from one side to the other of said pivot as the clutch is closed or opened, the contraction of the spring as soon as it passes the line of the pivot tending to further carry the jaws inthe direction in which they have been moved. If desired, the jaws maybe pivoted to two separate pivots, as shown in Fig. 5, and provided with interlocking teeth, whereby the movement of one is communicated to the other, and from one ot the jaws' extends a iinger l2 toward the side of the carrier opposite the cable and in position to make contact with the actuating-cams g.

Inasmuch as it is necessary to disconnect each carrier from the cable at or adjacent to the point where the carrier is to be arrested, whether it be the station or the cashiers desk, one of the actuating-earns g is placed in position and suitably arranged to be struck by the finger l2 and to depress thelatter and open the jaws of the clutch at that station where the carrier is to be arrested.

At the upper or forwarding track A, along which all the carriers pass to the cashier and onto which the carriers pass from the branches or side tracks, the switches c', which are held normally by springs in position to complete the main track, are opened by the contact therewith of the wheels, stems 3, or other parts of the carriers; but at the lower track it is necessary that each carrier shall be sidetracked or directed into the turn-out only at the station to which `it belongs, and I therefore provide means for effecting this result. Thus each of the switches c is suitably connected, as by means ot an arm 'i and connecting-redt", with an operating device,which, as shown, is in the form of a lever h, pivoted to one of the rails of the track in such a position as to be struck by a projection j upon the earrierthat is, to pass onto the adjacent side track-the levers h or the projections j being graduated, so that the projectionsj of each carrier will make contact only with the lever h, that operates the switch at the station to which the carrier belongs. Then the pr0- jection of any carrier strikes the lever L, it swings the latter and throws out the switchpoint c in such position that the carrier will be delivered at the station to which it belongs or side-tracked in a position to be out of the way of the succeeding carriers, the wheels of the carrier passing the pivot of the switch before the lever 7L is disengaged from the car. The spring releases the switch-pivot to place as soon as the carrier passes it.

A carrier cannot, of course, pass from the main track to the branch or side track while remaining in connection with the propellingcable. One of the cams g is therefore so ar. ranged in respect to each of the branches and in respect to the finger 12 of the clutch device of the carrier passing to such branch that as the car passes to the track the said arm will be brought against the under side of the cam, and the clutches will thereby be thrown open to the position shown in Fig. 3, the spring 1l, as it is carried past the pivot 9, throwing the jaws of the clutch farther in this direction and holding them open, and the propelling-cable being thus released.

In placing the carriers upon the forwardingtrack the reverse action is requiredthat is, the jaws of the clutch must be open, as in Fig. e, prior to passing t-he carrier onto the main track, and the cam g at each station must be so arranged that the finger l2 will ride over the top edge of the cam until the spring 1l is carried past the pivot 9, when it will draw the jaws of the clamp together, and the lower jaw will swing beneath and catch up the propelling-cable, and the llatter will be gripped between the two jaws, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 4, and thus connected to the carrier will propel the same until it arrives at the cashiers desk, where it will be relieved by the action of one of the cams g, arranged to operate upon the clutches of all the carriers.

lVhile I have shown a certain arrangement of devices for operating the switches from the carriers at the dierent points where the latter are to be side-tracked, it will be evident that these may be varied to secure a like result, such variations being necessary when my invention is used in connection with appara-` tus of a different character-as, for instance, with those in which the carriers travel upon a single rail or where they slide directly upon IOO IIO

the rails or tracks without the intervention of wheels. Variations will also result in a change in the position of the operating-cable as to whether it is above or below the carrier instead of at one side of the same.

The spring that actuates the clutch of each car may be placed in different positions or may be differently constructed and arranged from that described, so as to throw the clutch in each direction as it passes a central position, as will be obvious to any skilled mechanic.`

Without limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown, I

claiml. A car having a clutch thereon, consisting of two pivoted jaws and of a spring connecting the said jaws and arranged to throw them in either direction from a central position, in combination with a cable, and of a cam contiguous to the said cable adapted to actuate one of the said pivoted jaws, substantially as described. f

2. A clutching mechanism for cables, consisting of two pivoted interlocking toothed jaws, one of the said jaws being provided with an actuating-finger 12, and a spring connected to the said jaws and adapted to throw them in either direction from a central position and to retain them in either of the said positions, substantially as described.

3. A clutch for cables, consisting of two pivoted jaws, one of the said jaws being provided with an actuating-finger, a horn 10, secured to each of the said jaws, and a spring connecting the said horns and adapted to throw the said jaws in either direction from a central position and to hold them in the said position, as described.

4. A cash-carrier provided with a clutch the jaws of which project at one side of the carto engage a cable, a nger on one of the jaws of the clutch projecting at the opposite side of the car, adapted to contact with a cam,and a spring attached to projections at the rear of the jaws and adapted to hold the jaws in both open and closed positions.

5. A cash-car grip or clutch having its jaws toothed at their adjacent ends and a spring attached to said jaws.

6. A cash-carrier clutch orgrip having jaws whose inner ends engage with and rock upon each other, and a spring attached to said jaws.

7. A cash-carrier clutch or grip havin g separatelypivoted jaws toothed at their inner ends, which ends engage each other, and a spring attached to said jaws, in combination with means for operating said jaws.

- In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES T. COWLEY. Witnesses:

FRANK CoBURN, GEORGE E. COBURN. 

